IRLF 


>\s?*\ 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 
THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 


PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


THE 


VERMIN  DESTROYER, 


BEING 


A  COMPLETE  AND  NECESSARY  FAMILY  BOOK: 


SHOWING  A  SURE  AND  READY  WAY  OF  DESTROYING 


Adders,                          ! 
Bin';  of  all  kinds, 

Frogs, 
Gnats, 

Wasps, 
Weasels, 

Bugs 

Lice, 

Worts, 

Caterpillars, 

Mice, 

Or  Moles  on  any  part  of  .the 

Pisants, 
Flies, 

Moths, 
Otters, 

body. 
Worms  in  houses,  gardens 

Fit  as, 
Foxes, 

Serpents, 
Snails, 

or  Fruit  trees. 
A  new  mode  of  catching  all 

Polecats, 
Rabbits, 

Snakes, 
Spitlers, 

kinds  of  birds  and  wild 
fowl:  fish  of  all  kinds. 

Hares, 

Toads, 

Moles  and  Lpcusts. 

ALSO  SOME  VALUABLE  MEDICAL  RECEIPTS  FOR  THE 


Rheumatism, 

Palsy, 

Gout, 

Pleurisy, 

Cholic, 


Ulcers, 

Spitting  of  Blood 
Dropsy, 
Consumption, 
Scurvy, 


Itch  and  Piles, 
And  every  stage  of  the 
Flux  cured. 


To  which  are  added  many  curious  secrets  in  Nature  and 
Jrt, 

BY  DR.  JAMES  JOHNSTON. 

THE     ABOVE  HAVE   BEEN    PROVED  FOR     MORE    THAN 
TWENTY  YEARS  NEVER  TO  FAIL. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

PRINTED  FOR  THE  PUBLISHER. 

Price  25  cents. 


EASTERN  DISTRICT  OF  PENNSYLVANIA,  to  wit: 

BE  IT  REMEMBERED,  that  on  the  6th  day  of  March,  in  the  forty-fifth  year 
of  the  independence  of  the  United  States  of  America,  A.  D  1821,  JAMES 
SHARON,  of  the  said  district,  hath  deposited  in  this  office  the  title  of  a  book, 
the  right  whereof  he  claims  as  author  and  proprietor  in  the  words  following, 
to  wit: 

THE  VERMIN  DESTROYER,being  a  complete  and  necessary  family  book; 
showing  a  sure  and  ready  way  of  destroying  Adders,  Birds  if  alt  kinds,  Bugs, 
Caterpillars,  Pisants,  Flies,  Fleas,  Foxes,  Poltcats,  Rabbits,  Hans,  Frogs, 
Gnats,  Lice,  Mice,  Moths,  Otters,  Serpents,  Snails,  Snakes,  Spiders,  Toads, 
Wasps,  Weasels,  Worts  or  Moles  on  any  part  of  the  body.  Worms  in  houses, 
gardens,  or  fruit  trees.  Jl  new  mode  of  catching  all  kinds  of  Birds  and  wild 
Fwl;  Fish  of  all  kinds.  Moles  and  Locusts.  Jllso  some  valuable  medical 
Receipts  for  the  Rheumatism,  Palsy,  Gout,  Pleurisy,  Cholic,  Ulcers,  Spit- 
ting of  blood,  Dropsy,  Consumption,  Scurvy,  Itch  and  Piles,  and  every 
stage  of  the  Flux  cured.  To  which  are  added  many  curious  secrets  in  Na- 
ture and  Art.  By  Dr.  James  Johnston.  The  above  have  been  proved  for 
more  than  twenty  years,  never  to  fail. 

In  comformity  to  the  act  of  the  congress  of  the  United  States,  intituled, 
'l  An  act  for  the  encouragement  of  learning,  by  securing  the  copies  of  maps, 
charts,  and  books,  to  the  authors  and  proprietors  of  such  copies,  during  the 
times  therein  mentioned  "  And  also  to  the  act,  entitled,  "  An  act  supple- 
mentary to  an  act,  entitled,  "  An  act  for  the  encouragement  of  learning,  by 
securing  the  copies  of  maps,  charts  and  books,  to  the  authors  and  proprietors 
of  such  copies  during  the  times  therein  mentioned/'  and  extending  the  bene- 
fits thereof  to  the  arts  of  designing,  engraving,  and  etching  historical  and 
other  prints." 

DAVID  CALDWELL, 
Ckrk  of  the  Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


O  W  I   I  \J 

THE  VERMIN 


Bugs — to  prevent  breeding. 

BUGS  are  not  only  become  troublesome  at  Lon- 
don, but  are  got  into  some  countries;  and  where- 
as people  think  they  are  bred  of  hogs,  hair,  wood, 
wool,  cloth,  and  fur,  these  things  breed  only  lice, 
moths,  and  worms;  but  bugs  proceed  from  old 
feather  beds;  whereon  has  long  laid  sick  and 
sweaty  people,  which  produces  putrified  smells 
and  vapours;  so  does  close  press  beds  that  have 
not  the  advantage  of  the  pure  air;  as  also  close 
rooms,  where  the  air  wants  free  egress  and  re- 
gress, from  these  causes  bugs  proceed:  and  also 
consumptions,  weakness  of  the  back,  and  such  like 
diseases  that  people  little  think  of.  And  if  you 
observe,  you  shall  never  find  these  creatures  in 
shops,  or  where  no  beds  are,  or  have  been  put. 
One  way  therefore  to  prevent  them,  is  to  wash 
your  rooms,  and  keep  them  very  clean,  and  keep 
your  windows  open  in  the  day  time,  that  the  air 
may  come  in,  and  in  a  morning  lay  open  your 
bed  clothes  that  the  air  may  come  in,  and  the  sun 
suck  up  the  moisture  contracted  in  the  night  time; 
this  is  a  great  preservative  against  all  vermin,  as 
also  of  your  health. 

How  to  destroy  House  Bugs. 

Take  gunpowder  beat  small,  and  lay  some  about 
the  crevices  of  your  bedstead,  and  fire  it  with  a 
match  about  your  bedsteads,  and  keep  the  smoke 
in;  this  do  for  an  hour  or  more,  and  let  the  room 
be  kept  close  for  some  hours  after.  Or  take 
sprigs  of  fern,  and  lay  upon  the  boards,  kills  them. 

Bugs.  Take  ^JbangTuj  o^'  wormwood  and  white 


4 

helebore;  boil  them  in  urine  till  it  is  half  wasted, 
and  wash  the  joints  of  your  bedsteads  with  it. 

Bugs.  Take  a  quantity  of  unslack'd  lime,  put 
it  into  a  quart  of  water,  and  let  itsland  3  or  4 
days,  then  pour  off  the  water,  arid  add  a  quantity 
of  common  salt,  the  stronger  both  of  lime  and 
salt  the  better;  wash  the  sides  of  the  wall  and  bed- 
stead with  this  liquor  two  or  three  times  a  week, 
it  kills  bugs  and  fleas. 

Bugs.  Burn  brimstone  under  the  joints  of  the 
bedstead  and  creases  where  they  lie,  and  they'll 
come  out  presently,  that  you  may  kill  them;  do 
this  two  or  three  times  a  week,  and  keep  your 
room  close. 

Bugs.  Take  soap  that  lies  after  your  washing, 
and  boil  onions  in  it;  then  wash  your  room  and 
bedstead  with  it. 

Bugs.  Take  strong  vinegar,  and  mix  salt  with 
it;  then  sprinkle  your  room.  This  prevents  bugs 
and  fleas,  and  is  very  wholesome  in  houses,  or  at 
sea;  so  is  rue,  wormwood  and  rosemary  whole- 
some to  smell  to,  or  vinegar  sprinkled  alone. 

Bugs.  Take  three  ounces  of  guinea  pepper: 
burn  it  on  a  chafindish  of  coals  in  your  chamber; 
shut  your  doors  and  windows,  but  take  great  care 
to  go  out  yourself.  This  do  twice  a-month  in  hot 
,  weather,  and  it  will  kill  all  sorts  of  vermin  in  the 
bed. 

Bugs.  Take  wormwood  and  mustard  seed, 
bruise  and  boil  them  in  water,  a  quarter  of  an 
hour,  then  add  salt  to  the  water,  and  wash  your 
floor  and  bedstead  therewith;  it  will  destroy  them 
and  all  other  vermin. 

Bugs.  Take  the  rind  of  green  walnuts,  bruis- 
ed and  steeped  in  water  three  or  four  days;  then 


5 

wash  the  room  and  bedstead  with  it  twice  a  week. 

Bugs.  Hang  a  bear's  skin  in  your  room,  and 
they  will  be  gone.  Or  get  a  trap  about  a  yard  and 
a  half  long,  or  more,  if  your  bed  is  broad,  and 
about  half  a  yard  in  depth;  put  it  at  the  head  of 
your  bed  to  the  bottom  of  the  pillow,  and  in  the 
morning  they  will  creep  into  it;  take  it  into  your 
yard,  knock  it,  and  they  will  drop  out,  so  you  may 
kill  them.  They  are  made  of  wickers,  by  basket 
makers. 

Bugs  Take  wormwood  dried,  and  put  it  in 
bags  pricked  full  of  holes,  and  lay  between  your 
bed  and  sacking  mats  or  boards,  and  some  under 
the  bolster,  and  under  your  bed  on  the  floor,  and 
on  the  bed  tester;  this  prevents  the  breeding  of 
either  bugs  or  fleas. 

To  conclude,  let  your  rooms  be  kept  clean,  set 
open   the  windows  when  you  rise,  and  lay  your 
bed  clothes  open  four  or  five  hours,  and  it  is  the 
only  way  to  prevent  both  bugs  and  fleas. 
Lice. 

Lice.  Take  butter  unsalted,  and  boil  it  up  with 
pepper  to  a  salve;  then  cut  off  the  hair,  and  anoint 
the  head,  and  put  on  a  cap. 

L\ce.~  Take  staves-acre  powdered,  and  mix  it 
among  the  hair,  then  tie  it  with  a  cap,  and  it  kills 
them.  Or  oil  and  staves  acre. 

Lice.  Take   aramanths    (apothecaries  sell  it), 
boil  it  in  lye,  and  wash  the  head:  or  take  oliba- 
mi'ii  and  as  much  swine's  grease,  boil  them  to- 
gether, and  anoint  children's  heads,  it  kills  lice. 
JVife  and  Lice  in  the  liead. 

Take  of  bees  wax  an  ounce,  three  ounces  of 

'olive  oil,  three  drams  of  staves   acre;  of  these 

make  a  salve,  and  anoint ;  it  kills  both  nits  and  hce. 

A2 


,      6 

Lice.  Take  red  crpiment  and  saltpetre,  each  a 
dram,  louse  herb  two  drams,  mix  them  together 
with  oil  and  vinegar,  so  anoint  the  head.    Byrus. 
To  kill  Lice  on  Trees. 

Through  drought  many  trees  and  bushes  be- 
come  lousy,  as   sweetbriar,    gooseberries,    &c. 
therefore  frequently  wash  them,  or  dashing  them 
with  water  may  prove  the  best  remedy. 
For  Crab  Lice. 

Wash  with  the  decoction  of  penny  royal;  Or, 
boil  majoram  in  water,  and  wash  with  it;  or  the 
juice  of  stinking  gladon. 

For  lice  in  the  Eyelids. 

Rub  your  eyelids  with  salt  water,  or  brimstone 
and  water,  or  with  vinegar  of  squils,  alum  and 
aloes. 

Fleas. 

Take  lavender  and  wormwood,  and  boil  them 
in  vinegar  well,  and  sprinkle  your  blankets  with 
it;  or  savory  laid  in  your  chambers  kills  them. 

Fleas.  Take  unslacked  lime  and  strew  in  your 
chambers:  penny  royal  wrapt  up  in  a  cloth  and 
laid  in  your  bed,  drives  fleas  away;  lay  fresh  once 
a  week. 

Fleas.  Mustard  seed  boiled  in  water,  and  the 
room  sprinkled  with  it.  Arsmart  (the  hot  sort) 
strewed  in  a  chamber  kills  all  the  fleas. 

Fleas.  Soap  lees  and  onions  boiled  together 
and  sprinkled  in  the  room,  kills  both  them  and 
bugs. 

Fleas.  Marsh  fleabane  spread  in  your  room,  or 
burnt,  drives  away  fleas  and  gnats.  Culpepper 
says,  that f  Ider  leaves  gathered  with  dew  on  them, 
and  laid  in  a  chamber,  gathers  all  the  floas  there- 
to,  which  you  may  kill  or  throw  out  oi  the  window. , 


7 

Fleas.  Rub  a  small  piece  of  board  over  with 
hogs  grease,  and  all  the  fleas  will  gather  to  it  in 
the  middle  of  the  room. 

To  kill  Fleas  and  Wall  Lice. 

Take  the  decoction  of  thistle  and  arsmart  or 
coloquintida,  bramble,  or  colewort  leaves,  and 
sprinkle  about  the  house,  drives  them  away,  or 
anoint  a  stick  with  the  grease  of  a  hedge-hog,  and 
lay  it  in  the  room,  and  the  fleas  will  gather  and 
stick  to  it. 

RJ1 TS  AND  MICE. 

Take  ratsbane,  powder  it,  and  mix  it  with 
fresh  butter,  or  make  it  into  a  paste  with  barley 
or  wheat  meal  and  honey,  and  lay  on  trenchards 
or  boards  where  they  come:  they  will  eat  it,  and  it 
makes  them  drink  till  they  burst.  It  is  a  strong 
poison,  therefore  be  very  careful  in  using  it,  and 
wash  your  hands  after  it.  Or  unslacked  lime  and 
oatmeal  mixed,  and  laid  on  boards  where  they 
come,  kills  them. 

Rats  or  Mice. 

Take  oatmeal  and  powder'd  glass  only,  or  mix 
them  with  fresh  butter,  and  lay  where  they  come. 
Or  filings  of  iron  mixed  with  oatmeal,  or  with 
dough  or  oatmeal  flpur,  and  lay  where  they  do 
come. 

Rats  and  Mice. 

Black  hellebore  and  the  seed  of  wild  cucumber 
mixed  with  such  food  as  they  eat,  kills  them  — 
Or  mix  powdered  hellebqre  with  wheat  or  barley- 
meal  only,  made  into  a  stiff  paste  with  honey,  and 
laid  where  they  come,  they  eat  it,  it  is  present 
death;  but  great  care  must  be  taken,  lest  any  thing 
they  eat  should  be  poisoned. 


8 
Rats  and  Mice. 

Take  honey  or  mead,  and  make  a  stiff  paste 
with  wheat  or  barley -meal;   then  mix  the  filings 
of  iron  or  steel  with  it,  and  throw  it  where  they 
come,  they  will  eat  it,  and  it  kills  them. 
Rats  and  Mice. 

Chips  of  cork  fried  in  suet,  and  laid  where  they 
come,  kills  them. 

Field  Rats  and  Mice. 

In  the  dog  days  the  fields  are  generally  bare: 
then  find  out  their  holes  or  nests,  which  are  little 
and  round,  like  an  auger-hole,  and  put  hemlock 
seed  thereinto,  or  hellebore  mixed  with  barleyj 
they  eat  it  greedily,  so  it  kills  them. 

Bats  or  Rear  Alice  to  drive  away. 

The  smoke  of  ivy  burned  does  it. 
MOLES. 

Take  a  head  or  two  of  garlick,  onion,  or  leek, 
and  put  it  into  their  holes,  and  they  will  run  out 
as  if  amazed,  and  so  you  may  with  a  spear  of  dog 
take  them. 

Moles. 

Beat  hellebore,  white  or  black,  and  with  wheat 
flour,  the  white  of  an  egg,  milk  and  sweet  wine 
or  metheglin,  make  it  into  paste,  and  put  small 
pellets  as  big  as  a  small  nut  into  their  holes,  and 
they  eat  it  with  pleasure,  and  it  kills  them. 

Moles:  Take  the  bark  of  dogs  cole,  powder  it, 
and  mix  it  with  wheat  flour,  or  barley  meal,  or 
rye  flour,  and  with  milk  and  wine  make  a  paste, 
put  some  of  these  pellets  into  their  holes,  and 
they  will  eat  it,  and  it  kills  them. 

Moles.  Take  marking  stone  and  wild  cucum- 
ber juice,  and  pour  it  into  their  holes.  Some  set 
traps  at  the  mouth  of  their  holes. 


9 
To  drive  Moles  away. 

In  places  you  would  not  dig  nor  break  much, 
the  fuming  their  holes  with  brimstone,  garlick,  or 
other  unsavoury  things,  drives  them  away,  and  if 
you  put  a  dead  mole  into  a  common  haunt,  it  will 
make  them  absolutely  forsake  it. 

Moles — to  take  when  you  plow. 

Take  with  you  a  large  vessel  full  of  water,  and 
when  you  see  any  new  mole  holes  cast  up,  being 
opened  with  the  plough,  pour  therein  pitchers  or 
large  cans  of  water,  and  that  will  make  them  in 
a  little  time  come  out,  and  thus  you  may  destroy 
them  in  plowed  land  or  pasture;  in  common  land 
make  trenches  in  spring  time  to  catch  them.  \ 

Moles.  Some  say  that  in  gendering  time,  if  you 
lead  or  draw  a  bitch  mole  in  a  string  along  the 
ground,  the  buck  will  trace  her,  and  so  you  may 
catch  them  in  a  pot  set  in  the  ground. 

Moles.  The  best  instrument  to  destroy  them  is 
made  thus:  take  a  small  board  of  about  three  in- 
ches and  a  half  broad,  and  five  inches  long;  on  the 
one  side  thereof  raise  two  small  round  hoops  or 
arches,  and  at  each  end,  like  unto  the  two  ends 
of  a  carrier's  wagon,  or  a  tilt  boat,  large  enough 
that  a  mole  may  pass  through  them:  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  board  make  a  hole  so  big  that  a  goose 
quill  may  pass  through,  then  is  that  part  finished; 
then  have  in  readiness  a  short  stick  about  two  in- 
ches and  a  half  long,  about  the  bigness  that  the 
end  thereof  may  just  enter  the  hole  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  board;  also  you  must  cut  a  hazle  or 
other  stick,  about  a  yard,  or  a  yard  and  half  long, 
that  being  stuck  into  the  ground  may  spring  up 
like  unto  the  spring  they  usually  set  for  fowls; 
then  make  a  link  of  horse  hair  very  strong  that 


10 

will  easily  slip,  and  fasten  it  to  the  end  of  the 
stick  that  springs;  also  have  in  readiness-  four 
small  hooked  sticks;  then  go  to  the  furrow  or  pas- 
sage of  the  mole,  and  after  you  have  opened  it, 
fit  in  the  little  board  with  the  bended  hoops  down- 
wards, that  the  mole  when  she  passes  that  way, 
may  go  directly  through  the  two  semicircular 
hoops.  Before  you  fix  the  board  down,  put  the 
hair  spring  through  the  hole  in  the  middle  of  the 
board,  and  place  it  round,  that  it  may  answer  to 
the  two  end  hoops,  and  with  the  small  sticks,  and 
gently  put  it  in  the  hole  to  stop  the  knot  of  the  hair 
spring:  place  it  in  earth  in  the  passage,  and  by 
thrusting  in  the  four  hooked  sticks,  fasten  it,  and 
cover  it  with  earth,  and  then  when  the  mole  pass- 
es either  the  one  way  or  the  other,  by  displacing 
or  removing  the  small  stick  that  hangs  perpen- 
dicularly downwards,  the  knot  passes  through  the 
hole,  and  the  spring  takes  the  mole  about  the 
neck.  Though  the  description  seem  tedious,  yet 
this  is  very  plain,  and  easily  performed;  these 
vermin  being  so  very  prejudicial,  even  worse  to 
ground  than  swine. 

Weasels. 

Take  sal  armoniac,  and  beat  it,  and  with  wheat 
flour  and  honey  make  it  into  a  paste,  with  the 
white  of  an  egg,  and  lay  it  in  pellets  where  they 
come,  and  they  eat  it,  and  it  kills  them! 
Weasels  to  f tight  away  Mice. 

Put  bells  about  his  neck,  and  let  him  run  about 
your  house,  and  he'll  frighten  away  all  the  mice. 
'Tis  their  nature  to  destroy  mice,  therefore  some 
people  love  to  have  them  about  their  houses. 
That  Weasels  may  not  suck  the  eggs. 

Lay  rue  about  the  hens  that  lay,  and  they  will 
not  come  near  them. 


11 

Weasels. 

The  smell  of  a  burnt  cat  frights  them  away,  as 
all  insects  will  be  frightened  away  with  their  own 
kinds  being  burnt. 

Caterpillars. 

Caterpillars  destroy  the  leaves  of  trees,  and  de- 
vour cabbages  and  other  tillage,  and  are  general- 
ly the  effects  of  great  droughts.  To  prevent  their 
numerous  increase  on  trees,  gather  them  off  in 
winter,  taking  the  prickets  away  that  cleave  to 
the  branches,  and  burn  them. 

Or,  anoint  the  tree  bottom  round  about  with 
tar,  then  get  many  pismires  and  put  them  in  a 
bag,  hang  them  so  that  they  may  touch  the  body 
of  the  tree;  the  pismires  cannot  get  down  for  the 
tar,  so  for  want  of  food  will  devour  the  caterpil- 
lars. 

Caterpillars.  When  they  are  upon  coleworts 
or  cabbages,  take  some  salt  water  and  water  them 
with  it,  and  it  will  kill  them. 

Caterpillars.  Our  gardeners  shake  them  off  the 
plants  in  a  morning  betimes;  for  whilst  they  are 
touched  with  the  cold  of  the  night,  they  easily 
drop  down. 

Caterpillars  of  many  swts,  the  Wolf,  the  Black 
Fly,  the  Calendar  Worm,  &c. 

The  most  hurtful  is  the  wolf  and  calendar 
worm,  that  lurk  in  the  heart  of  flower  buds,  shut- 
ting them  up  that  they  cannot  open,  which  they 
sconsume;  the  trees  that  blow  early,  look  as  if 
signed  by  lightening;  those  that  blow  late  are  not 
so  subject  to  this  evil. 

Caterpillars.  Take  three  ounces  of  wormood, 
one  ounce  of  assa  foctida,  steep  and  break  them, 


12 

and  boil  with  four  pails  of  water  in  the  air,  be- 
cause they  are  stinking  smells,  and  when  bojled, 
strain  out  the  ingredients  through  a  linen  cloth, 
and  use  it  when  cold  at  pleasure,  befqre  the  bud 
be  opened,  and  they  will  do  no  harm  to  the  tree; 
you  may  also  add  other  ingredfbnts,  as  tobacco 
stalks,  wild  vines,  colloquintida,  or  the  like.,  and 
expect  very  good  issue. 

Green  bugs  that  hurt  green  plants  and  Rose 
Trees. 

To  kill  green  bugs  in  gardens,  sprinkle  the 
places  where  they  fix  with  strong  vinegar,  mixed 
with  the  juice  of  henbane;  or  some  water  the 
plants  haunted  by  them  with  the  cold  decoction 
of  mustard  and  laurel  seed  in  water;  some  quash 
them  with  their  fingers,  which  is  a  good  way;  or 
fleabane  boiled  in  water  and  sprinkled,  kills  them. 
Vine  Fretters  in  Gardens,  &c. 

Stick  a  rod  half  a  foot  high  in  the  ground,  with 
mugs  or  cups  turned  over  the  top  of  it,  and  you 
will  find  that  they  will  creep  under  there  for  shel- 
ter, so  you  may  easily  kill  them. 

An  universal  remedy  against  all  animals  of- 
fensive to  flowers. 

Democritus  says,  put  8  or  9  crabs  in  an  earth- 
en pot  with  water,  and  let  them  stand  8  days  in 
the  open  air,  then  take  of  this  water,  and  water 
your  plants  in  their  infancy;  repeat  the  same  once 
in  eight  days,  and  you  will  find  it  effectual 
against  all  sorts  of  vermin. 

To  gather  Frogs  and  kill  them. 

Take  a  sheep,  ox  or  goafs  gaul  and  bruise  it 
by  the  water  side,  and  the  frogs  will  gather  to  it. 


13 
To  prevent  Frogs  croaking. 

Set  a  lanthorn  and  candle  upon  the  side  of  the 
water  or  river  that  waters  your  garden,  it  is  done. 
Toads  will  not  come  near  sage  if  rue  is  planted 
about  it. 

Snakes  and  Adders,  to  drive  from  the  garden. 

Wormwood  planted  in  divers  places,  they  will 
not  come  near  it. 

Snakes  and  Adders. 

Smoke  the  places  with  hartshorn,  or  lily  roots, 
burning  in  a  fire  pan,  and  they  will  fly  from  the 
place. 

Snakes  and  Adders.  The  roots  of  centaury 
laid  about  your  ground,  will  make  them  depart;  or, 
lay  deer  suet  about  the  place,  and  they  will  be 
gone. 

For  the  Bite  or  Sting  of  a  Snake  or  Adder. 

Take  the  juice  of  ash  tree  leaves  squeezed  into 
good  white  wine  or  beer,  and  drink  it,  and  wash 
with  it,  then  cover  the  place  stung  with  ash  tree 
leaves,  and  it  cures  you,  says  Agrippa. 

Snakes,  Adders,  Blue  Worms,  &c. 

In  April  or  May,  lay  fresh  dung  in  places 
where  they  come,  and  they  will  resort  to  it.  In 
July  or  August  turn  up  the  dunghill,  and  you  will 
both  find  their  eggs  and  many  of  them,  which  de- 
stroy; do  this  two  or  three  times  in  a  summer. 

Pismires,  Flies,  Earwigs,  and  Spiders,  that 
hurt  Orange  Trees,  Carnations,  &Pc. 

These  are  very  troublesome  vermin  in  a  gar- 
den, especially  where  carnations  are  preserved; 
for  they  are  so  fond  of  these  flowers,  that  if  care 
is  not  taken  to  prevent  them,  they  will  entirely 
destroy  them,  by  eating  off  the  sweet  part  at  the 
bottom  of  the  leaves. 


14 

To  prevent  which,  most  people  have  stands 
erected,  which  have  a  basin  of  earth  or  lead  round 
each  supporter,  which  is  constantly  kept  filled 
with  water.  Others  hang  the  hollow  claws  of 
crabs,  lobsters,  &c.  upon  sticks  in  divers  parts  of 
the  garden,  into  which  these  vermin  get;  and 
by  often  searching  them  you  will  destroy  them 
without  much  trouble,  which  will  be  of  great  ser- 
vice to  your  wall  fruit;  for  these  are  great  des- 
troyers thereof.  Miller's  gardeners  dictionary. 
Pismires,  Earwigs,  and  other  Vermin  that  hurt 
Gardens. 

In  gardens  are  July-flowers,  which  are  subject 
to  harm,  both  by  rain  and  the  sun,  and  much  wa- 
tering, and  from  earwigs  and  pismires.  The  rain 
spots  them;  the  sun  withers  them  by  drying  the 
ground  too  much:  strong  water  spoils  them,  es- 
pecially at  the  last  of  *  their  blowing:  pismires 
gnaw  the  flowers,  and  make  holes  in  the  leaves, 
earwigs  devour  the  flowers,  at  least  the  leaves, 
that  they  fall  out  of  the  shell;  to  preserve  them, 
let  the  sun  be  upon  them  but  one  hour  in  the 
day ,  and  they  will  last  long. 

Pismires,  and  other  Vermin  about  Orange 
trees,  and  July  flowers. 

Put  here  and  there  a  glass,,  with  water  and 
honey  in  it,  wherein  they  will  drown  themselves; 
six  or  seven  will  go  a  great  way. 

When  July-flowers  are  in  flower,  give  mode- 
rate watering,  no  more  than  the  shorts  require^ 
for  the  plant  does  not  want  watering,  since  the 
shorts  only  want  to  grow,  but  when  the  first  flow- 
er is  gone,  you  may  give  them  more  water  again, 
and  place  them  in  the  sun,  in  their  old  place,  that 
the  seeds  may  grow  ripe. 


15 

Pismires.  The  smoke  of  the  root  of  wild  ciu 
cumber  drives  them  away. 

Pismires.  Muscle  shells  burnt  with  storax,  and 
beat  to  powder,  strew  the  garden  where  they  are, 
and  they  will  come  out  of  their  holes — then  kill 
them. 

Pismires.  Encompass  the  stem  five  fingers  in 
breadth,  with  a  roll  of  wool  newly  plucked  from 
a  sheep's  belly. 

Pismires.  Hang  a  glass  bottle  ifc  the  tree, 
with  a  little  honey  in  it,  or  other  sweet  liquor, 
and  it  will  draw  the  ants  into  it,  which  stop  and 
wash,  and  place  it  there  again;  also  often  water- 
ing the  walks  or  paths  kills  them. 

Pismires.  In  winter  dig  the  hills,  and  take  out 
the  core,  that  it  may  be  lower  than  the  surface  of 
the  earth,  that  when  you  lay  your  turf  down,  it 
may  lie  lower  than  the  other  ground;  it  prevents 
ants  returning,  and  the  rain  and  frost  coming, 
kills  the  rest. 

Plants  to  preserve  from  Pismires. 

Take  the  dregs  of  oil,  and  mix  it  with  lupins, 
and  anoint  the  bottom  of  the  plants  therewith. 
To  keep  your  Sugar  box  or  Spice  from  Pismires. 

Cover  your  box  with  white  wool. 
Pismires  to  drive  au  ay. 

Take  brimstone  and  powder  it,  and  let  it  stand 
till  it  hath  coloured  the  water,  then  sprinkle  the 
water  on  the  banks. 

Earth  and  Field  Mice,  Snculs,  and  other  Ver- 
min that  hurt  Tulips. 

To  preserve  tulips  from  vermin,  cover  them 
with  wooden  frames  4  inches  high,  and  do  them 
over  so  close  with  iron  wires,  that  none  of  these 
vermin  can  get  through  to  hurt  them. 


16 

Snails.  Set  tiles,  bricks,  or  boards  hollow 
against  the  wall,  pales,  &c.  and  they  will  creep 
under  them  for  shelter,  about  Michaelmas  they 
get  to  such  places  for  security  the  whole  winter, 
except  you  prevent  it  by  destroying  them  in  De- 
cember, which  is  the  easiest,  best,  and  surest 
way  to  destroy  them . 

Snails;  the  gardener's  way. 

Besides  what  is  wrote  above,  they  seek  them 

by  break  of  day,   or  after  rain,  when  they  come 

out  of  the  earth  to  feed,  and  are  easily  killed. — 

You  ought  to  keep  out  of  gardens  dogs  and  cats. 

To  Ml  Flies. 

Take  white  hellebore,  and  steep  it  in  milk  or 
sweet  wine,  and  sprinkle  the  room  they  come  to, 
and  they  will  die. 

Flies.  Take  origanum  and  alum,  and  beat 
them,  and  mix  them  with  milk,  and  sprinkle  them 
about  the  room,  kills  them. 

To  gather  Flies  together. 

Beat  coriander  seed,  and  put  it  in  a  deep 
earthern  pot,  and  all  the  flies  will  gather  to  it. 

Flies.  Treacle  and  water  put  into  an  earthern 

dish  pretty  thick  with  treacle  or  honey,  they  will 

light  in  it  and  stick.    Or.  dregs    of  sugar   and 

water  mixed,  they  will  come  to  it  and  be  drowned. 

That  Flies  may  not  trouble  Cattle. 

Boil  bay  berries  in  oil,  and  anoint  them  with 
it,  and  they  will  never  sit  on  cattle;  or,  wet  the 
hair  of  horses  with  the  juice  of  the  leaves  of 
gourds  at  Midsummer,  and  they  will  not  molest 
them.  If  cattle  are  anointed  with  the  juice  of  ars- 
mart,  flies  will  not  come  near  them,  though  it  is 
the  heat  of  summer. 


17 

Flies,  Spiders,  Scorpions,  &c.  to  drive  out. 

Burn  a  hoop's  feathers  in  the  room,  and  make 
a  smoke,  then  these  insects  that  smell  the  smell 
will  be  gone,  and  come  no  more. 

To  drive  away  flies,  and  all  otlier  sorts  of 
Insects. 

All  insects  are  driven  away  generally  by  means 
either  of  hindering  the  breeding  of  them,  and  so 
they  destroy  locusts  eggs:  or,  we  hinder  their  com- 
ing by  shutting  all  windows  close;  some  things 
drive  them  away  and  kill  them:  namely,  fire  and 
cold:  also  any  sharp,  sour,  or  extreme  bitter,  as 
/  vinegar,  or  decoction  of  bays,  wild  cucumbers: 
white  hellebore,  colloquintida  or  lupins  will  do  it; 
some  things  do  it  by  the  scent,  as  brimstone,  vi- 
triol flowers,  and  the  leaves  of  elder,  both  corian- 
ders,  horns  and  hoofs;  some  things  offend  them 
many  wa)s,  as  rue  and  verdigrease.  The  ancients 
used  two  things  against  them;  pitch  and  lees  of 
oil;  pitch  defends  from  the  air,  and  oil  from  living 
creatures;  storax,  I  observe  by  its  scent  or  smoke, 
will  drive  away  almost  all  insects. 

To  prevent  Moths  eating  clothes. 

Take  beaten  pepper,  lay  it  among  your  clothes, 
airing  them  well  first,  and  it  will  prevent  them. 

Moths.  Take  the  branches  of  bay  tree  and  lay 
among  cloth  or  woollen,  it  preserves  from  moths, 
worms,  or  corruption;  so  does  moist  hemp. 

Pieces  of  Russia  leather  put  in  boxes,  prevents 
moths  and  all  other  vermin. 

MotJis  to  destroy. 

About  August  they  appear,  and  that  mostly  in 
the  night,  and  if  you  set  a  candle  in  an  apjsle  tree 
lighted  in  the  night,  they  will  fly  about  it  and 

B  2 


18 

burn  themselves,  and  you  will  find  abundance  of 
them  dead  in  the  morning. 

Earwigs,  Wasps,  Gnats,  Hornets,  and  Flies 

Earwigs  are  very  numerous,  and  injurious  to 
fruit,  and  the  way  to  destroy  them  is,  by  placing 
hoofs,  horns,  crabs  or  lobsters  claws  on  branches 
of  trees  into  which  they  will  resort;  early  in  the 
morning  take  them  gently  off  and  shake  them  in- 
to a  tub  of  water,  or  on  the  ground,  and  tread  on 
them.  Or,  cut  a  melon  or  apple,  lay  it  to  the 
ear,  cut  a  hole  in  it,  and  lay  on  that  side,  and  it 
will  come  into  the  apple. 

Wasps  and  Hornets. 

Wasps  and  hornets  are  destructive,  to  bees  arid 
fruits,  &c.  In  spring  or  summer,  before  they  are 
increased,  destroy  the  old  ones,  for  a  few  increases 
to  a  multitude. 

Wasps,   Gnats,  and  Earwigs. 

Scald  them,  if  in  the  thatch  of  a  hollow  tree, 
and  smoke  them  with  any  stinking  combustible 
matter. 

To  destroy  Wasps. 

Put  pieces  of  lighted  brimstone  rags  into  the 
wasps  holes,  where  the  nest  lies,  and  presently 
fling  a  spade  full  of  earth  over  the  holes. 
Wasps  stinging. 

Apply  a  copper  halfpenny,  and  hold  it  for  a 
little  space,  and  it  will  ease  the  pain  and  prevent 
swelling. 

Gnats  and  Flies.  Shut  your  windows  close  in 
summer  towards  the  evening,  and  smoke  your 
rooms  with  brimstone,  and  burn  straw  in  them, 
or  they  will  fly  into  the  flame,  or  be  choaked. 
Or  the  smoke  of  burnt  fern  drives  away  gnats, 
serpents,  and  other  venomous  creatures.  Or 
loose  strife  does  the  same. 


10 

Gnats  and  Flies.  Ash  leaves  bung  up  in  a 
room,  attracts  them,  that  they  are  less  trouble- 
some; also  balls  made  of  new  horse  dung  and 
laid  in  a  room  will  do  the  same;  by  this  means 
you  may  overwhelm  them  with  a  basin,  and  keep 
them  there. 

Worms. 

Water  wherein  the  leaves  and  seed  of  hemp  is 
sodden,  sprinkled  on  the  earth,  brings  them  out. 

Worms.  Sea  water  sprinkled  on  the  ground, 
kills  them.  Or  salt  and  water  made  into  brine, 
and  sprinkled  on  the  ground.  Some  say,  soot 
strewed  on  the  ground  kills  them.  Others  com- 
mend chalk  and  lime  strewed  on  the  ground. 

Take  a  quantity  of  green  walnut  husks,  and 
rub  them  on  a  brick  or  tile,  holding  them  at  the 
bottom  of  a  pail  of  water  till  the  water  is  become 
bitter,  which  sprinkle  on  the  ground  brings  the 
worms  out  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour. 

Worms  in  gardens,  £s?c. 

Water  your  bed  with  the  brine  of  salt  meat, 
and  it  kills  them:  or  water  your  garden  with  a 
strong  lixivium  made  of  ashes;  or  lay  ashes  or 
lime  about  any  plant,  and  neither  snails  nor  worms 
will  come  near  it:  as  the  moisture  weakens,  you 
may  renew  it.  Some  smoke  their  holes  u  ith  ox 
or  row  dung:  or  the  mother  of  oiLsprinkled  on 
their  holes,  kills  them. 

Worms.  St-ethe  the  leaves  and  seeds  of  hemp 
in  water,  and  sprinkle  it  on  the  earth,  brings  forth 
worms.  Or  take  a  poker,  with  two  prongs  is  best, 
and  stick  it  in  the  ground,  and  shake  it  well, 
brings  out  worms:  morning  and  evening  is  the 
best  time. 

Worms  in  Jlpple -trees. 

Lay  a  sea  onion  about  the  trees,  to  preserve 


20 

them  from  worms:  if  they  come  naturally,  bull's 
gall,  or  hog's  dung  'mingled  with  man's  urine,  and 
poured  to  the  roots,  destroys  them:  but  if  they  are 
hard  to  destroy,  the  bark  must  be  digged  into 
with  a  brass  pin,  or  such  like  tool,  and  tended  till 
the  point  takes  upon  the  worms,  and  drive  them 
front  the  place:  but  where  there  is  a  place  ulcera- 
ted, stop  it  with  ox-dung.  An  apple  tree  plant,  the 
root  being  anointed  with  bull's  gall,  they  and  their 
fruit  will  be  free  froui  worms —  Mrzaldus, 

Worms  to  prevent  eating  chests  of  drawers, 
or  Wood. 

Rub  them  with  linseed-oil,  or,  rub  them  with 
wormwood,  rue,  or  other  bitter  herbs,  preserves 
them,  and  all  wooden  household  stuff  that  is  rub- 
bed with  the  lees  of  linseed-oil  and  polished,  will 
look  pleasant. 

Polecats. 

If  you  can  conveniently  have  a  channel  about 
fyour  pigeon  house,  and  that  will  preserve  them  and 
all  other  fowl,  for  no  beast  of  prey  will  take  the 
water. 

Polecats.  Some  make  a  dead  fall  to  take  them, 
which  is  made  of  a  square  piece  of  wood,  weigh- 
ing 40  or  #0  lb.:  they  bore  a  hole  in  the  middle  of 
the  upper  side,  and  set  a  crooked  hook  fast  in  it, 
also  they  set  four  forked  stakes  fast  in  the  ground, 
and  there  lay  two  slicks  across,  on  which  sticks 
lay  a  long  staff  to  hold  the  dead  fall  up  to  the  crook, 
and  under  this  crook  they  put  a  short  stick,  fast- 
en a  line  to  it,  and  this  line  must  reach  down  to 
the  bridge  below;  and  this  bridge  you  must  make 
about  5  or  6  inches  broad.  Then  set  on  both 
sides  of  this  fall,  boards  or  pales,  or  hedge  it  with 
close  rods,  and  make  it  ten  or  twelve  inches  high; 
let  the  passage  be  no  wider  than  the  fall  is  broad. 


21 

Badgers. 

Badgers  are  pernicious  creatures,  and  destroy 
young  lambs,  pigs  and  poultry. 

Some  take  them  in  a  steel  trap,  or  a  spring,  as 
foxes  are  taken. 

Some  make  a  pitfall  about  five  foot  deep,  and 
four  long,  make  it  narrow  at  the  top  and  bottom, 
and  wider  in  the  middle;  then  cover  it  with  some 
small  sticks  and  leaves  so  that  he  may  fall  in  when 
he  comes  on  it;  sometimes  a  fox  is  taken  thus. 

Others  hunt  the  badger  to  his  hole  in  a  moon- 
light night,  and  dig  him  out. 

Hedgehogs  always  make  their  cave  or  cabin 
contrary  to  the  wind. 

Foxes. 

Foxes  are  great  destroyers  of  lambs,  poultry, 
geese,  &c.  to  destroy  which,  take  a  sheeps  paunch, 
and  tie  it  to  a  long  stick,  then  rub  your  shoes  well 
upon  it,  thai  he  may  not  scent  your  sweaty  feet; 
draw  this  paunch  after  you  as  a  trail,  a  mile  or 
more,  and  bring  it  near  some  thick  headed  tree: 
leave  your  paunch,  and  get  into  the  tree  with  a  gun, 
and  as  it  begins  to  be  dark,  you  will  see  him  come 
after  the  scent  of  the  trail,  where  you  may  shoot 
him:  draw  the  trail  if  you  can  to  windward  of  the 
tree. 

To  take  a  Fox  in  a  steel-trap. 

The  best  way  is  to  set  your  trap  in  the  plain 
part  of  a  large  field,  out  of  the  way  of  all  paths, 
yet  not  near  a  hedge,  or  any  shelter:  then  open 
th<j  trap,  set  it  on  the  ground,  and  cut  out  just 
thr  form  thereof  in  a  turf,  and  take  out  so  much 
eailh,  as  to  make  room  to  stay  it,  then  cover  it 
apain  very  neatly  with  the  turf  you  cut  out:  and 
as  tb'  =  joint  of  the  turf  will  not  dose  exactly,  get 
&ome  mould  oi  a  new  cast  up  mole  hill,  and  put 


it  close  round  the  turf,  sticking  some  grass  in  it 
as  if  it  there  grew:  make  it  curious  and  neat,  that 
it  might  even  deceive  yourself:  ten  or  twelve  yards 
from  the  trap,  three  several  ways,  scatter  some  of 
the  mole-hill  mould  very  thin  on  a  place  15  or  16 
inches  square,  then  on  these  places,  arid  where 
the  trap  is  placed,  lay  three  or  four  small  bits  of 
cheese,  and  then  with  a  sheeps's  paunch  draw  a 
trail  a  mile  or  two  long  to  each  of  these  three 
places,  and  from  thence  to  the  trap,  that  the  fox 
may  come  to  one  of  these  places  first,  for  then  he 
will  approach  the  trap  more  boldly:  and  thus  you 
will  never  fail  of  him:  be  sure  let  your  trap  be  left 
loose,  that  he  may  draw  it  to  some  hedge  or  covert, 
or  he  will  bite  off  his  leg  and  be  gone. 

A  spring  trap  for  a  Fox  or  Badger. 

Bend  down  a  stick  in  the  wood,  or  set  a  pole 
ia  the  ground  where  he  uses  to  come,  much  like 
that  set  up  for  a  woodcock,  which  hangs  them  up. 
To  explain  it  better:  tie  a  string  to  some  pole  set 
iast  in  the  ground,  and  to  this  string  make  fast 
a  small  short  stick  made  thin  on  the  upper  side, 
with  a  notch  at  the  lower  end  of  it:  then  set  ano- 
ther stick  fast  in  the  ground,  with  a  nich  under 
it:  then  bend  down  the  pole,  and  let  both  the  nicks 
or  notches  join  as  slight  as  may  be:  then  open  the 
noose  of  the  string,  and  place  it  in  his  path  or  walk, 
and  if  you  lay  pieces  of  cheese,  flesh,  or  such 
like,  it  will  entice  him  that  way. 
Fox. 

Anoint  the  soles  of  your  shoes  with  swine's  fat 
a  little  broiled,  and  coming  trom  the  wood,  drop 
here  and  there  a  piece  of  roasted  swine's  liver  dip- 
ped in  honey,  dra  ving  after  you  a  dead  cat,  and 
he  will  follow  you  so  that  you  may  shoot  him. 


23 

Jl  hook  to  take  a  Fox,  tied  to  a  tree  or  Gibbet. 

This  hook  is  made  of  large  wire,  and  turns  on 
a  swivel  like  the  collar  of  a  greyhound ;  it  is  fre- 
quently used  in  catching  wolves,  but  oftener  to 
the  fox.  They  hang  it  from  the  ground  so  high 
that  he  must  leap  to  catch  it;  and  bait  it  with 
flesh,  liver,  cheese,  &c.  and  if  you  run  a  trail 
with  a  sheep's  paunch,  as  before  directed,  it  will 
draw  him  the  more  easily  to  the  bait 
To  take  an  Otter. 

Otters  are  great  destroyers  of  fish,  and  will 
travel  in  a  night  ten  or  twelve  miles;  they  lie  un- 
der the  roots  of  trees  near  the  water;  some  take 
them  with  snares,  others  with  spears,  and  some 
with  hunting  dogs. 

To  kill  them,  lay  near  their  haunts  an  eel  slit 
on  the  back,  with  some  few  corns  of  ratsbane 
put  in  the  slit,  then  sew  it  up  again;  place  the 
eel  from  the  navel  upwards  out  of  the  water,  and 
he  will  eat  it  so  far,  but  seldom  farther,  and  it  cer- 
tainly kills  him. 

Birds  are  no  annoyance  to  the  farmer,  or  gar- 
dens, for  they  destroy  more  caterpillars,  slugs, 
snails  and  other  vermin,  -that  do  ten  times  more 
mischief  than  they  do. 

Fish. 

Your  baits  must  smell  well,  such  are  anni-. 
seeds,  juice  of  panaca  and  cummin;  2dly,  taste 
well,  as  hog's  blood  and  wheat  bread;  Sdly,  be 
intoxicating,  as  aqua  vitee,  lees  of  wine,  &c.  and 
lastly,  make  them  senseless,  as  marigold  flowers, 
which  astonishes  them,  so  doth  all  yellow  flow- 
ers, and  lime  clithimal,  nox  vomica,  and  nothing 
better  than  coclus  indice. 

Eels. 

Take  sea  stonewort  an  ounce^  sea  onions  one 


24 

ounce,  mix  together,  and  throw  where  eels  come. 
Crab-Fish. 

Slit  a  small  willow  stick,  then  put  a  frog  in  it, 
and  they  will  come  to  your  hand.  Or,  cut  frogs 
in  pieces,  then  lay  them  in  a  basket  and  they  will 
come  into  it 

To  take  Pikes. 

Take  what  quantity  of  blown  bladders  you  will, 
and  tie  a  line  to  the  mouth  of  them,  longer  or 
shorter,  as  the  water  is  in  depth;  bait  your  hook 
artificially,  and  the  pike  will  take  it,  and  make 
you  sport;  the  same  may  be  done  by  tying  your 
line  to  the  leg  of  a  duck  or  goose. 
Fish. 

Boil  barley  in  water  till  it  burst,  with  liquorice, 
a  little  mummy  and  honey;  then  beat  them  to- 
gether to  a  paste,  and  throw  little  pellets,  when  it 
is  almost  dry,  where  fish  are,  and  it  will  bring 
them  together.  Or  fresh  horse-dung  thrown  into 
the  water  does  it. 

To  take  a  Pike  as  he  lies  sleeping  and  sunning 
himself  in  fair  weather,  with  a  loop  or  net. 

March  and  August  are  the  best  time.  Take  a 
long  pole  or  rod  that  is  fight  and  straight,  on  the 
small  end  fasten  a  running  loop  of  twisted  horse- 
hair and  silk,  or  made  of  wire  of  a  large  compass, 
which  gently  draw  on  him,  and  when  it  is  five  or 
six  inches  over  his  gills,  hoist  him  up;  if  it  is  a 
small  pike,  draw  it  not  so  far  on,  make  no  noise 
in  walking  or  speaking;  if  he  lies  so  that  you  can't 
conveniently  noose  him,  touch  his  tail  with  the 
rod,  and  he  will  turn  as  you  please;  also  with  a 
hand  net,  putting  it  gently  under  water,  guide 
it  just  under  him,  and  lift  it  softly  till  you  just 
touch  him,  and  then  do  it  as  quick  as  you  can. 


25 

Fish.  Take  the  blood  of  a  black  goat,  mixed 
with  wheat  flour  and  lees  of  wine,  make  it  into 
a  paste,  and  throw  it  into  the  water  a  little  be- 
fore you  fish. 

To  catch  Fish. 

Take  coculus  indicus,  and  some  wheat  flour,  and 
with  sweet  wine,  milk  or  mead,  make  a  stiff  paste, 
then  make  pellets,  and  throw  them  where  fish  are, 
and  you  may  take  them  with  your  hands. — Or 
take  assafoetida,  flour,  milk,  and  honey,  make  it 
into  a  paste,  and  bait  your  hook  with  it. 
To  take  Stock-Fish. 

Take  green  moss  from  the  roots,  boil  it  in  oil, 
and  make  it  into  baits. 

Fish. 

Take  hartwort  and  unslacked  lime  beat  small, 
throw  it  into  the  water  when  calm;  and  it  will 
make  them  drunk,  so  that  you  may  take  them 
with  your  hands. 

Fish.  Take  elder  leaves,  savory,  and  thyme, 
of  each  a  like  quantity,  then  take  ox  or  sheep's 
suet,  and  lees  of  wine;  beat  them  in  a  mortar,  and 
throw  little  pieces  into  the  water  an  hour  before 
you  fish. 

Fish.  Take  coculus  indicus,  old  cheese,  cummin 
seed,  and  wheat  flour:  make  a  paste  "with  brandy, 
and  throw  pieces  in  as  big  as  a  pea,  and  they  that 
eat  it  you  may  take. 

7o  take  Fish  with  your  hand. 

Get  nettles  and  cinquefoil,  stamp  them  together 
with  house-leek  juice:  then  take  them  in  your 
hand  and  stir  in  the  water,  and  fish  will  come  to 
you.  Or  take  coculus  indicus,  soft  cheese,  honey, 
and  crumbs  of  white  bread:  make  it  into  paste,  and 
throw  it  into  the  water. 


26 

Fish.  Get  sheep  suet  and  garlick,  mix  it  with 
wheat  or  barley  flour,  and  with  wine  make  it  in- 
to a  paste;  throw  it  into  the  water,  and  you  may 
take  fish  with  your  hands.  Some  take  elder-leaves, 
wild  marjoram,  and  thyme,  all  dried,  and  mix 
sheep's  blood  with  them:  then  dry  them  in  an 
oven,  and  throw  lumps  into  the  water. 

Fish.  Get  unslacked  lime,  and  mingle  it  with 
birthwort  beat  small,  and  cast  into  the  water,  the 
fish  will  greedily  eat  it,  and  turn  on  their  backs, 
but  they  are  not  the  worse  for  eating.  Or  with 
the  juice  of  dragon-wort  anoint  your  hands,  and 
they  will  come  to  it.  Or  oil  of  camomile  put  to 
your  bait  does  it. 

Fish.  Get  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  oriental 
berries,  cummin  seed,  and  aqua  vita,  each  a  sixth 
part  of  an  ounce,  cheese  an  ounce,  wheat  meal 
three  ounces,  make  little  pellets  and  throw  where 
the  fish  are. 

BIRD  LIME. 

Stuff  prepared  after  different  ways:  the  com- 
mon method  is  to  peel  a  good  quantity  of  holly 
bark  about  Midsummer,  fill  a  vessel  with  it,  put 
spring  water  to  it;  boil  till  the  gray  and  white 
bark  arise  from  the  green,  which  will  require 
twelve  hours  boiling:  then  take  it  off  the  fire, 
drain  the  water  well  from  it,  separate  the  barks, 
lay  the  green  bark  on  the  ground  in  some  cool 
cellar,  covered  with  any  green  rank  weeds,  such 
as  dock  thistles,  hemlock,  &c.  to  a  good  thickness: 
let  it  lie  so  fourteen  days,  by  which  time  it  will  be 
a  perfect  mucilage;  then  pound  it  well  in  a  stone 
mortar  till  it  becomes  a  tough  p^te,  and  that  none 
of  the  bark  be  discernible:  next  after  wash  it 
well  in  some  running  stream,  as  long  as  you  per- 


27 

ceive  the  least  motes  in  it;  then  put  it  into  an 
earthern  pot  to  ferment,  scum  it  fourorfive  days, 
as  often  as  any  thing  rises,  and  when  no  more 
comes,  change  it  into  a  fresh  earthen  vessel,  and 
preserve  it  for  use  in  this  manner.  Take  what 
quantity  you  think  fit,  put  it  in  an  earthen  pipkin, 
add  a  third  part  of  capons  or  goose  grease  to  it, 
well  clarified,  or  oil  of  walnuts,  which  is  better, 
incorporate  them  on  a  gentle  fire,  and  stir  it  con- 
tinually till  it  is  cold,  and  thus  it  is  finished. 

To  prevent  frost:  take  a  quarter  of  as  much 
oil  of  Pretoleum  as  you  do  goose  grease,  and  no 
cold  will  congeal  it. 

How  to  use  Bird-Lime. 

When  your  lime  is  cold,  take  your  rods  and 
warm  them  a  little  over  the  fire;  then  take  your 
lime  and  wind  about  the  top  of  your  rods,  then 
draw  your  rods  asunder  one  from  another,  and 
close  them  again,  continually  plying  and  work- 
ing them  together,  till  by  smearing  one  upon  ano- 
ther, you  have  equally  bestowed  on  each  rod  a 
sufficient  proportion  of  lime. 

If  you  lime  any  strings,  do  it  when  the  lime  is 
hot  and  at  the  thinnest,  besmearing  the  strings 
on  all  sides  by  folding  them  together,  and  unfold- 
ing them  again. 

If  you  lime  straws,  it  must  be  done  likewise 
when  the  lime  is  very  hot,  doing  a  great  quantity 
together,  as  many  as  you  can  well  grasp  in  your 
hand,  tossing  and  working  them  before  the  fire 
till  they  are  all  besmeared,  every  straw  having  its 
due  proportion  of  lime;  having  so  done,  put  them 
up  in  cases  of  leather  till  you  have  occasion  to  use 
them. 


28 
The  best  way  of  making  Water  Bird-lime. 

Buy  what  quantity  you  think  fit  of  the  strong- 
est birdlime  you  can  procure,  and  wash  it  as  long 
in  clear  spring  water  till  you  find  it  very  pliable, 
and  the  hardness  thereof  removed,  then  beat  out 
the  water  extraordinary  well,  till  you  cannot  per- 
ceive a  drop  to  appear,  then  dry  it  well:  after  this, 
put  it  into  an  earthen  pot,  and  mingle  therewith 
capon's  grease  unsalted,  so  much  as  will  make  it 
run,  then  add  thereto  two  spoonfuls  of  strong  vi- 
negar, a  spoonful  of  the  best  sallad  oil,  and  a 
small  quantity  of  Venice  turpentine;  this  is  the 
allowance  of  these  ingredients,  which  must  be  ad- 
ded to  every  pound  of  strong  bird-lime  as  afore- 
said. 

Having  thus  mingled  them,  boil  all  gently  over 
a  small  fire,  stirring  it  continually,  then  take  it 
from  the  fire,  let  it  cool;  when  at  any  time  you 
have  occasion  to  use  it,  warm  it,  and  then  anoint 
your  twigs  or  straws,  or  any  other  small  things, 
and  no  water  will  take  away  the  strength  there- 
of. 

Of  taking  small  Birds,  which  use  Hedges  and 
Bushes  with  Lime-twigs. 

The  great  lime  bush  is  best  for  this  use,  which 
you  must  take  after  this  manner;  cut  down  the 
main  branch  or  bough  of  any  bushy  tree,  whose 
branch  aud  twigs  are  long,  thick,  smooth,  and 
straight,  without  either  pricks  or  knots,  of  which 
the  willow  or  birch  tree  are  the  best;  when  you 
have  picked  it  and  trimmed  it  from  all  superfluity, 
making  the  twigs  neat  and  clean,  then  take  the  best 
birdlime,  well  mixed  and  wrought  together  with 
goose  grease,  or  capons  grease,  which  being 
warmed,  lime  every  twig  therewith  within  four 
fingers  of  the  bottom. 


29 

The  body  from  whence  these  branches  have 
their  rise  must  be  untouched  with  lime. 

Be  sure  you  do  not  daub  your  twigs  with  too 
much  lime,  for  that  will  give  distaste  to  the  birds, 
yet  let  none  want  its  proportion,  or  have  any 
part  left  bare  which  ought  to  be  touched;  for  as 
too  much  will  deter  them  from  coming,  so  too 
little  will  not  hold  them  when  they  are  there. 
Having  so  done,  place  your  bush  in  some  quick- 
set or  dead  hedge  near  unto  towns  ends,  back- 
yards, old  houses,  or  the  like;  for  these  are  the 
resort  of  small  birds  in  the  spring  time:  in  the 
summer  and  harvest  in  groves,  bushes,  or  white 
thorn  trees,  quickset  hedges  near  cornfields, 
fruit  trees,  flax,  and  hemp  lands:  and  in  the  win- 
ter about  houses,  hovels,  barns,  stacks,  or  other 
places  where  stand  ricks  of  corn,  or  scattered 
chaff,  &c. 

As  near  as  you  can  to  any  of  these  haunts, 
plant  your  lime  bush,  and  plant  yourself  also  at 
a  convenient  distance  undiscovered,  imitating 
with  your  mouth  several  notes  of  birds,  which  you 
must  learn  by  frequent  practice,  walking  the 
fields  for  that  purpose  very  often,  observing  the  va- 
riety of  several  birds  sounds,  especially  such  as 
they  call  one  another  by. 

Some  have  been  so  expert  herein,  that  they 
could  imitate  the  notes  of  twenty  several  sorts  of 
birds  at  least,  by  which  they  have  caught  ten 
birds  to  another's  one  that  was  ignorant  therein. 

If  you  cannot  attain  it  by  your  industry,  you 
must  buy  then  a  bird  call,  of  which  there  are 
several  sorts,  and  easy  to  be  framed;  some  of 
Wood,  some  of  horn,  some  of  cane,  and  the  like. 

Having  learnt  first  how  to  use  this  call,  you 
c2 


30 

shall  sit  and  call  the  birds  unto  you,  and  as  many 
ot  them  light  on  your  bush,  step  not  out  unto 
them  tillyou  see  them  sufficiently  entangled;  neither 
is  it  requisite  to  run  for  every  single  bird,  but  let 
them  alone  till  more  come,  for  the  fluttering  is  as 
good  as  a  stale  to  entice  them  more. 

You  may  take  these  small  birds  only  with  lime 
twigs  without  the  bush. 

Some  boys  have  taken  two  or  three  hundred  small 
twigs  about  the  bigness  of  rushes,  and  about  three 
inches  long,  and  have  gone  with  them  into  a  field 
where  there  were  hemp  cocks;  upon  the  top  of 
half  a  score  lying  all  round  together,  they  have 
stuck  their  twigs,  and  then  have  gone  and  beat 
that  field  or  the  next  to  it,  where  they  saw  any 
birds,  and  commonly  in  such  fields  there  are  infi- 
nite numbers  of  linnets  and  green  birds,  which 
are  great  lovers  of  hemp  seed. 

And  they  flying  in  such  vast  flocks,  they  have 
caught  at  one  fall  for  them  upon  the  cocks  eight 
dozen  at  a  time. 

But  to  return,  there  is  a  pretty  way  of  taking 
birds  with  lime-twigs,  by  placing  them  near  a 
stale  or  two  made  of  living  bats,  placing  them 
aloft  that  they  may  be  visible  to  the  birds  there- 
abouts^ who  will  no  sooner  be  perceived,  but 
every  bird  will  come  and  gaze,  wondering  at  the 
strangeness  of  the  sight,  and  having  no  other 
convenient  lighting  place  but  where  the  lime  twigs 
are  you  may  take  what  number  you  list  of  them. 
But  the  owl  is  a  far  better  stale  than  the  bat, 
being  bigger  and  more  easily  to  be  perceived,  be- 
sides he  is  never  seen  abroad  but  he  is  followed 
and  persecuted  by  all  the  birds  that  are  near. 

If  you  have  not  a  living  bat  or  owl,  their  skins 


SI 

will  serve  as  well,  stuffed,  and  will  last  you  twen- 
ty years;  there  are  some  who  have  used  an  owl 
cut  in  wood,  and  naturally  painted,  with  wonder- 
ful success. 

Jl  Secret  to  hinder  Pigeons  from  quitting  a  Pigeon 
House. 

Take  the  head  and  feet  of  a  gelt  goat,  and  boil 
them  together  till  the  flesh  separates  from  the 
bone;  take  this  flesh  and  boil  it  again  in  the  same 
liquor,  till  the  whole  is  consumed;  bruise  into  this 
decoction,  which  is  very  thick,  some  potters 
earth,  out  of  which  you  are  to  take  all  the  stones, 
vetch,  dung,  hemp,  food,  and  corn;  the  whole 
must  be  kneaded  together,  and  reduced  to  a  paste 
or  dough,  which  form  into  small  loaves  about  the 
thickness  of  two  fists,  and  dry  them  in  the  sun  or 
oven,  and  take  care  it  do  not  burn;  when  they 
are  baked,  lay  them  in  several  parts  of  the  pigeon- 
house,  and  as  soon  as  they  set  there  the  pigeons 
will  amuse  themselves  with  pecking  them,  and 
finding  some  taste  therein,  which  pleases  them 
they  will  keep  so  close  to  it,  that  they  will  not 
afterwards  leave  it  but  with  regret.  Others  take 
a  handful  of  salt  which  they  candy,  and  after- 
wards put  into  the  pigeon-house. 

Birds.  Get  white  orpiment,  barley,  wheat,  or 
any  other  grain  that    birds    love,  boil  them  to- 
gether, and  throw  where  birds  come,  and  you  may 
catch  them  presently,  yet  not  the  worse  to  eat. 
Birds,  to  keep  from  Fruit. 

Hang  a  bundle  of  garlick  on  a  branch  of  a  tree, 
or  lay  it  on  your  corn  stalks,  and  they  will  not  touch 
your  fruit.  Some  smear  their  tree  branches  with 
juice  of  garlick. 

To  catch  Birds. 

Get  such  seed  as  fowls  love,  mix  it  with  grated 


32 

onion,  or  juice  of  onion  and  it  makes  them  drunk. 
Wild  Geese,  to  take. 

Take  a  tame  duck  or  goose,  with  a  string  by 
the  leg,  where  wild  geese  or  ducks  come,  and 
strew  in  that  place  such  seed  or  grain  soaked  in 
lees  of  wine;  where  also  white  hellebore  is  boiled, 
you  may  take  forty  at  a  time;  it  will  quickly  make 
them  drunk:  let  not  the  tied  goose  or  duck  come 
to  the  seed. 

To  catch  Birds. 

Take  any  corn  and  steep-  it  in  wine  lees  and 
juice  of  hemlock,  and  cast  it  to  the  birds,  and  it 
makes  them  drunk  presently. 

How  to  teach  Birds  to  speak,  or  whistle  tunes. 

Keep  them  in  dark  places,  and  play  any  tune  to 
them  for  half  a  year,  or  till  the  time  that  young 
birds  taken  out  of  the  nest  begin  to  sing,  and  they 
will  learn,  if  cocks,  any  tune  you  please,  and  ex- 
ceed a  flageolet,  especially  a  linnet,  bullfinch,  rob- 
in, or  goldfinch,  &c.  And  to  teach  jays,  magpirs, 
starlings,  parrots,  &c.  Keep  them  dark,  and  hun- 
gry, and  talk  often  the  satne  thing  to  them;  by  can- 
dle-light, or  in  the  night-time. 
To  scare  Crows,  Ravens,  Jackdaws,  Pigeons,  &c. 

Crows  dead  and  hung  up,  much  affrights  them; 
but  among  cherry  trees,  and  other  fruit  trees,  draw 
a  line  from  tree  to  tree,  and  here  and  there  fasten 
a  bLck  feather,  and  this  will  do 

Bat  Fowling,  the  manner  of  it. 

Observe  where  birds  roost  in  great  numbers,  as 
they  generally  do  in  hedges,  or  trees,  then  go  in  a 
dark  night,  one  with  a  pole,  and  beat  the  contrary 
side,  and  two  or  three  be  with  you,  carrying  long 
boughs:  and  you  may  easily  strike  them  down;  if 
among  shrubs  as  in  a  wood,  let  one  on  each  side 


33 

beat  at  a  pretty  distance.  Some  use  nets,  made 
like  a  racket  at  the  end  of  poles,  with  which  they 
are  easily  knocked  down. 

To  take  Sea-pyes,  Crows  and  other  Birds. 

Get  a  minnow,  tie  a  thread  to  its  tail,  and  two 
small  sticks  of  osier  across  at  the  end  of  the  thread, 
then  lime  your  twigs  with  bird  lime,  and  lay  them 
by  the  river  on  some  rush,  water  leaf  grass,  or  the 
like:  then  when  she  sees  it,  she  catches  it  up,  and 
the  lime  twigs  take  her  wings,  and  she  drops  pre- 
sently. 

Partridge,  to  take. 

Get  sweet  wine,  and  with  wheat  flour,  make  a  ~ 
paste,  lay  it  in  pellets  where  they  come,  and  they 
will  be  soon  foxed,  so  you  may  take  them  with 
your  hand.    But  if  you  put  a  little  coculus  indicus 
to  it  powdered,  it  is  the  better. 
To  take  Wild  Ducks,  Geese,  Herons,  Sea  Chills,,  &c» 

Drive  a  stake  into  the  ground  two  or  three  foot 
long,  just  by  the  water-side,  then  take  a  strong 
horse-hair  with  a  large  hook  fastened  to  it,  and 
bait  it  with  fish,  or  frog,  or  guts,  &c.  and  let  your 
line  or  lines  lie  in  the  river  and  they  will  swallow 
it,  and  so  hang  that  you  may  take  them.  Some 
lay  in  the  same  manner  snares  made  of  horse-hair, 
and  often  catch  them  by  the  feet  as  they  swim 
about. 

Birds  that  are  Lousy. 

Anoint  them  with  linseed-oil  cures  them. 
Of  ordering  and  improving  Stocks  of  Bees. 

The  bee  though  a  small  creature,  and  by  many 
numbered  amongst  insects,  is  extremely  advan- 
tageous to  his  nourisher,  in  returning  abundance 
for  the  little  he  receives,  and  not  so  only,  but  af- 
fords demonstrative  rules  to  men,  both  of  policy 


31 

and  frugality;  insomuch  that  the  ancients  nourish- 
ed and  preserved  them  as  much  for  pleasure  as 
profit;  calling  them  the   birds  of  the  muses;  and 
Virgil,  with  wonderful  eloquence,  describes  their 
order,  government,  manner  of  waring,  building, 
obedience  to  their  king,  &,c. — But  not  to  enlarge 
thereon,  I  shall  proceed  to  the  improving  part,  viz. 
To  store  yourself,  there  are  three  manner  of  ways; 
either  by  buying  them,  taking  wild  swarms,  or 
making  them  by  art.     If  you  buy  your  bees,  ob- 
serve they  be  lively,  little,  smooth,  and  shining; 
rejecting  the  rough  and  unseemly  ones:  and  above 
all,  let  the  King,  or  master-bee,  be  long,  shining, 
and  cheerful,  not  too  great,  or  too  small  for  upon 
his  success,    depend  the    welfare  of  the    whole 
swarm.      Observe,  likewise,  that  the  swarm  be 
whole  and  great,  which  you  may  know  by  looking 
into  the  hive,  or  observing  great  numbers  cluster- 
ing about  the  door;  if  these  two  observations  fail, 
finding  them  all  at  rest,  blow  in  among  them,  and 
by  the  greatness  or  smallness  of  the  answering 
sound,  you  will  perceive  them  to  be  more  or  less. 
If  you  transport  them  far,  the  change  of  the  air 
many  times  incommodes  them;  to  remedy  which 
you  must  set  them  in  pleasant  gardens,  or  scatter 
sweet  smelling  herbs  about  their  hives.     The  best 
way  to  carry  them  is  upon  a  man's  shoulder  in 
sheets  upon  a  pole;  one  hive  behind,  and  the  other 
before,  in  the  night  time  when  they  are  at  rest, 
being  very  cautious  of  jogging  them,  for  fear  of 
mashing  their  combs;  and  the  best  time  to  remove 
them  is  in  the  month  of  April;  being  sure  you  carry 
them  not  from  a  pleasant  place  to  one  that  is  other- 
wise, for  if  you  do,  they  will  soon  leave  you.  Wiien 
you  have  brought  them  to  the  place  you  intended. 


35 

if  it  be  day-time,  you  must  neither  open  nor  place 
them  till  night,  to  the  end  that  after  the  quiet  rest 
of  the  night,  they  may  go  cheerfully  to  work  the 
next  morning;  and  be  sure  you  observe  them  nar- 
rowly for  two  or  three  days  after,  whether  they  go 
out  cr  not,  for  if  they  do,  'tis  a  shrewd  sign  they 
intend  to  leave  you. 

To  store  yourself  with  wild  bees,  take  these  fol- 
lowing directions:  that  is,  such  as  breed  in   clefts 
of  oaks,  or  other  trees,  in  fields,  forests,  or  wilder- 
nesses, or  in  rocks,  or  ruins  of  castles,  or  church- 
es.    To  find  them  out,  set  a  little  box,  with  a  small 
hole  in  it,  near  the  water  side,  whither  you  per- 
ceive the  bees  to  resort,  and  when  many  have  en- 
tered for  the  sugar  or  honey  put  therein,   stop  up 
the  hole,  and  having  let  one  out,  follow  him  as  far 
as  you  can  see  him,  then  let  out  another,  following 
him  likewise,  and  so  a  third,  till  by  their  flying  di- 
rectly to  the  place  of  their  abode,  you  may  find 
them  out;  and  to  know  whether  they  are  far  or 
nigh,  set  sugared  water,  and  when  they  come  to 
sip,  sprinkle  some  red,  green,  or  other  colour  upon 
them,  and  by  their  often  or  seldom  coming,  you 
may  guess  the  distance  or  nearness  of  their  nests; 
as  also  by  the  sudden  resort  of  great  numbers,  so 
soon  as  one  or  two  have  found  out  the  sweets,  for 
they  suddenly  give  notice  to  their  fellows.    Having 
found  them,  if  in  the  body  of  a  tre?,  and  you  can- 
not come  at  them,  smoak  them  out  and  settle  them, 
by  ringing  of  any  brass  vessel;  and  having  sweeten- 
edyourhivewithherbs,shakethcm  into  it,  or  rather 
cut  .down  the  bough  and  cover  it  with  a  sheet,  set- 
ting your  hive  afterwards  near  it,  that  the  bees  of 
their  own  accord,  may  go  into  it;  or  if  you  cannot 
smoak  them  out,  saw  the  tree,  or  use  other  means 
as  may  oblige  them  to  forsake  their  dwelling. 


36 

In  the  placing  of  your  bees,  observe  it  be  so 
that  in  the  winter  and  spring,  the  faces  of  the  hives 
may  stand  to  the  rising  sun;  and  so  order  it  that 
neither  in  winter  nor  summer,  they  be  too  hot  or 
too  cold;  observing  above  all  things,  that  the  air  be 
wholesome,  as  also  the  herbs,  plants,  and  flowers 
growing  about  them.  The  herbs,  &c.  that  bees 
most  delight,  are  these,  thyme,  cassia,  rosemary, 
savory,  smallage,  violets,  sage,  lavender,  myrrh, 
wild  marjoram,  wild  thyme,  balm,  sweet  marjo- 
ram, saffron,  bean  flowers,  mustard  seed,  mellilot, 
poppies,  roses  and  the  like.  And  those  they  hate, 
are  for  the  most  part,  yew  trees,  wormwood,  wild 
cucumbers,  elms,  cornel,  spurge,  laurel,  and  all 
bitter  herbs  and  flowers.  They  thrive  better  in 
the  vallies  than  on  hills,  and  love  to  be  near  clear 
water  springs.  The  best  honey  is  extracted  from 
thyme,  the  second  from  wild  thyme,  and  the  third 
from  rosemary.  You  may  place  their  hives  in 
three  ranks,  arid  stand  a  yard  one  above  another; 
suffer  them  to  be  quiet  and  undisturbed,  keeping 
all  hurtful  creatures  from  them;  as  the  toad,  red- 
breast, woodpeckers,  moth,  hornet,  lizard,  swal- 
low, sparrow,  spider,  serpent,  and  stork;  all  which 
are  utter  enemies  to  the  bees.  All  winter  they  rest, 
and  live  upon  part  of  what  they  got  in  the  sum- 
mer; or  if  you  have  taken  the  honey  almost  bare, 
you  must  feed  them  by  putting  in  sticks  very  gin- 
gerly, dipped  in  honey,  or  sugar  and  water  boiled; 
as  also  figs,  raisins,  currants,  or  the  like.  About 
the  sun's  entering  the  sign  Jlries,  they  come  abroad 
^and  labour  diligently,  framing  their  combs,  the 
which  when  they  have  done,  they  begin  to  breed, 
and  afterwards  till  them  with  honey;  their  wax, 
being  extracted  from  gummy  trees  and  the  honey 


37 

honey  from  flowers.  The  honey  harvests,  as  many 
term  them,  are  in  some  countries,  three  times  a 
year,  viz.  the  latter  end  of  May,  the  end  of  July, 
and  beginning  of  September;  though  to  take  the 
combs  but  twice  a  year,  viz.  May  and  August,  is 
best.  If  the  hive  by  reason  of  a  young  brood  be 
overcharged,  which  you  may  perceive  by  the  bees 
clustering-  about  the  mouth  of  it,  and  the  great 
noise  within,  having  new  hives  in  readiness,  watch 
the  coming  forth  of  the  young  fry  for  several  days, 
from  eight  till  twelve  in  the  morning,  lest  taking 
wing,  they  seek  a  new  habitation;  or  if  they  delay 
to  come  forth,  you  may  drive  out  the  whole  stock 
with  galbanum,  at  which  time  having  two  kings, 
they  will  settle  in  two  companies,  and  so  you  may 
hive  them.  Or  if  a  stock  be  decayed,  you  may 
put  two  hives  together,  by  killing  the  king  or  mas- 
ter-bee of  the  one  hive.  If  at  any  time  two  hives 
swarm  together  and  fight,  cast  dust  upon  the  hives, 
or  sprinkle  them  with  the  juice  of  pleasant  herbs, 
or  honey  and  water  boiled,  and  the  fray  will  be  par- 
ted. 

If  the  master-bee  of  any  hive  be  too  apt  to  lead 
the  swarm  abroad,  and  by  that  means  endanger 
losing  them,  to  prevent  this  roving,  clip  his  wings, 
and  then,  not  daring  to  trust  them,  he  will  stay  at 
home. 

The  signs  to  know  when  your  combs  are  full  of 
honey,  are  when  the  bees  drive  out  the  drones; 
when  there  is  an  extraordinary  noise  and  rejoicing 
within,  and  when  they  play  about  the  mouth  of  the 
hive,  neglecting  to  perform  their  tasks;  for  in  no- 
wise take  the  honey  before  the  combs  are  full,  lest 
displeasing  the  bees  they  leave  you. 

Many  are  of  opinion,  that  the  mouth  of  the  hive 


38 

being  rubbed  with  calves-dung,  or  onion-bles  and 
marjoram,  the  bees  will  never  leave  it.  And  thus 
much  shall  suffice  for  the  ordering  and  improving 
of  bees,  from  whose  labour  rises  great  profit  to 
most  kingdoms. 

PHYSICAL  RECEIPTS. 
Rheumatism,  Palsy,  and  Gout. 
The  oil  of  mustard-seed  used  outwardly,  is  said 
to  be  very  good  in  these  disorders;  taken  inwardly 
it  has  the  same  virtues  as  the  seed  itself.     Some 
say  a  spoonful  taken  at  a  time  is  good  to  drive  the 
gout  out  of  the  stomach. 

Pleurisy  and  Cholic. 

Linseed  Oil  fresh  drawn,  loosens  the  belly,  ap- 
peases coughing,  promotes  expectoration,  and  is 
reckoned  a  specific  in  the  pleurisy,  if  two,  three,  or 
four  ounces  are  taken  at  a  dose,  and  repeated  at 
every  fourth  or  sixth  hour  till  the  patient  finds 
himself  relieved. — Given  in  the  same  manner  it 
eases  the  cholic,  and  cures  obstinate  costiveness. 

To  kill  Worms. 

Oil  of  wormwood  rubbed  on  the  stomach  and 
navel,  discusses  wind  and  kills  worms:  it  is  also  a 
great  strengthener  of  the  stomach. 

•Against  Ulcers  and  the  Itch. 
Simple  balsam  of  sulphur  is  an  excellent  reme- 
dy against  all  ulcers  external  and  internal.  The 
dose  is  twenty  drops  or  more.  Outwardly  it  is 
good  against  the  itch,  scabs,  and  other  defedations 
of  the  skin,  rendering  it  soft  and  smooth. 

To  expel  Wind. 

Elec  uary  of  bay  berries  warms  the  stomach, 
expels  wind,  and  is  good  for  the  flatulent  cholic. 
The  dose  is  from  a  scruple  to  a  dram. 

Spitting  of  Blood. 
Take  conserve  of  roses  two  ounces;  of  Loca- 


39 

telli's  balsam  dissolved  with  the  yolk  of  an  egg,  au 
ounce;  mix  them.  This  is  pectoral,  and  is  good  in 
catarrhs,  coughs,  spitting  of  blood,  and  consump- 
tions. The  dose  is  the  size  of  a  walnut  twice  in  a 
day:  or  half  dram  in  a  fit  of  coughing. 

Against  the  piles. 

Take  of  the  lenitive  electuary,  two  ounces,  of 
flowers  of  brimstone  half  an  ounce;  mix  them. 
The  dose  is  half  an  ounce. 

Against  the  dropsy. 

Take  of  gamboge  in  powder,  an  ounce  and  a 
half  of  cream  of  tartar  in  powder,  an  ounce;  of 
ginger  in  powder,  half  an  ounce;  of  syrup  of  su- 
gar enough  to  make  an  electuary.  The  dose  is 
half  a  dram  early  in  the  morning. 

A  safe  and  easy  Purge. 
Take  of  julap  in  powder,  two  ounces;  of  ginger 
in  powder,  three  drams;  of  syrup  of  oranges  enough 
to  make  an  electuary.  When  purging  is  required, 
this  will  operate  safely  and  easily.  The  dose  is 
from  half  a  dram  to  two  scruples,  to  be  taken 
early  in  the  morning. 

Jin  Electuary  against  the  Rheumatism. 
Take  of  conserve  of  orange-peel,  two  ounces; 
of  cinnabar  of  antimony  levigated  an  ounce  and 
a  half;  of  gum  guaiac  in  powder  an  ounce;  of 
winter's  bark  in  powder  three  drams;  of  syrup  of 
orange  peel  a  sufficient  quantity;  mix  them.  The 
dose  is  a  dram  morning  and  evening. 

This  is  not  designed  against  an  acute  rheuma- 
tism, but  those  tedious  and  wandering  pains 
which  fly  from  one  part  to  another  without  a  fever. 

For  Consumptions 

Take  of  spermaceti  fifteen  grains;  of  gum  am- 
moniac ten  grains;  of  volatile  salt  of  hartshorn  se- 


40 

yen  grains;  of  syrup  of  sugar  enough  to  make  a 
bolus. 

This  is  to  be  given  in  disorders  of  the  breast 
particularly,  difficulty  of  breathing,  and  consump- 
tions; and  may  be  given  with  success  in  the  pleu- 
risy and  inflammation  of  the  lungs. 
Scurvy  in  the  Gums. 

Take  gum-lac  an  ounce;  myrrh  half  an  ounce: 
powder  them,  and  then  with  oil  of  tartar  per  de- 
liquium  make  them  into  a  soft  paste,  which  being 
dried  by  a  slow  fire,  add  spirit  of  scurvy  grass  a 
pint  and  a  half.  Digest  in  a  water  bath  for  four 
days,  and  strain  off  the  tincture.  This  rubbed  on 
the  gums  cures  the  scurvy,  and  fastens  loose  teeth. 
A  cure  for  the  Dysentery. 

Take  and  eat  three  cloves  of  the  best  tame 
garden  garlick,  night  and  morning.  After  first 
taking  a  purge  of  Calomel  and  Jalep,  with  which 

1  have  often  cured  the  dysentery  or  flux,  in  three 
days'  time,  which  is  the  most  excellent  applica- 
tion that  has  ever  yet  been  discovered.  [This  re- 
ceipt is  worth  one  hundred  dollars,  if  worth  one 
cent]  Sharon. 

CURIOSITIES  IN  ART  AND  NATURE. 

A  Receipt  For  Stack  Ink. 

To  six  quarts  of  rain  or  river  water,  (but  rain  water  is  the  best) 
put  one  pound  and  a  half  of  fresh  blue  galls  of  Alepoo,  for  those  of 
Smyrna  are  not  strong  enough,  bruised  pretty  small,  eight  ounces 
of  copperas,  clean  rocky  and  green;  also  eight  ounces  of  clean, 
bright,  and  clear  gum  arabic,  and  two  ounces  of  rock  alum;  let  these 
stand  together  in  a  large  stone  bottle,  or  clean  stone-pot,  with 
a  narrow  mouth  to  keep  it  free  from  dust;  shake,  roll  or  stir  it  well 
once  every  day,  and  you  will  have  excellent  ink  in  about  a  month's 
time;  and  the  older  it  grows  the  better  it  will  be  for  use. 
Ingredients  for  a  quart. 

One  quart  of  water,  4  ounces  of  galls,  2  ounces  of  copperas,  and 

2  ounces  of  gum,  mixed  and  stirred  as  above. 

N.  B.  If  you  soak  the  green  peeling  of  walnuts,  at  the  time  of 


41 

the  year  when  pretty  ripe,  and  oak  saw-dust,  or  small  chips  of  it,  iti 
rain  water,  and  stirred  pretty  often  for  a  fortnight,  and  then  strain- 
ed, and  the  water  used  with  the  same  ingredients  as  above,  the  ink 
will  still  be  stronger  and  better. 

Hoic  to  make  Red  Ink. 

Take  three  pints  of  stale  beer  (rather  than  vinegar)  and  four 
ounces  of  ground  Brazil  wood;  simmer  them  together  for  an  hour 
and  then  strain  it  through  a  flannel;  then  bottle  it  up,  well  stopped, 
for  use. 

Or  you  may  dissolve  half  an  ounce  of  gum  Senegal,  or  Arabic,  in 
half  a  pint  of  water;  then  put  a  penny-worth  of  vermillion  into  a 
small  gallipot,  and  pour  some  of  the  gumwater  to  it,  and  stir  it  well, 
and  mix  it  together  with  a  hair  pencil,  to  a  proper  consistency;  but 
it  will  not  incoporate  presently,  but  by  the  next  day  it  will;  then 
having  a  clean  pen,  dip  it  into  the  ink,  having  first  well  stirred  it 
with  a  pencil,  and  then  you  may  use  it;  it  is  a  fine  and  curious  red, 
though  not  so  free  as  the  other.  And  after  the  same  manner  you 
may  make  any  other  coloured  ink,  as  blue,  greenv  purple,  &c.  hav- 
ing divers  gallipots  for  that  use.  In  like  manner  you  may  mix  the 
shell-gold,  for  curious  occasions,  pouring  two  or  three  drops,  ac- 
cording to  direction,  into  the  shell,  and  mix  it  well  with  a  clean 
hair  pencil,  and  with  it  put  a  little  into  a  clean  pen,  £c.  The  small 
shells  may  be  bought  at  some  fan  sellers,  or  fan  painters,  at  two  or 
three  for  two-pence;  or  the  large  ones,  which  are  the  best,  at  the 
colour-shops  at  sixpence  a  piece. 

To  keep  Ink  from  Freezing  or  Moulding. 

In  hard  frosty  weather  ink  will  be  apt  to  freeze;  if  once  it  does, 
it  will  be  good  for  nothing;  for  it  takes  away  all  its  blackness  and 
beauty.  To  prevent  which  (if  you  have  not  the  conveniency  of 
keeping  it  warm,  or  from  the  cold)  put  a  few  drops  of  brandy,  or 
other  spirits  into  it,  and  it  will  not  freeze.  And  to  hinder  its  mould- 
ing, put  a  little  salt  therein. 

Wheat  to  make  equal  to  Coffee. 

Take  English  wheat,  use  it  in  all  points  as  coffee,  and  it  will  be  as 
wholesome. 

Secret  Writing. 

If  you  dip  your  pen  in  the  juice  of  a  lemon  or  of  an  onion,  or  in 
your  own  urine,  or  in  spirits  of  vitriol,  and  write  on  clean  paper 
whatever  you  intend,  it  shall  not  be  discerned  till  you  hold  it  to  the 
fire,  and  then  it  will  appear  legible.  And  if  with  any  of  the  above- 
mentioned,  you  write  on  your  skin,  as  on  your  arm,  or  back  of 
your  hand,  &c  it  shall  not  be  seen  till  you  burn  a  piece  of  paper, 
and  with  the  ashes  rub  on  the  place,-  and  then  it  will  appear  very 
plain. 

Another  way  is,  when  you  write  a  letter,  that  you  intend  it  shall 
not  be  discovered,  but  to  those  you  think  fit,  first  to  write  your 
thoughts  on  one  side  of  the  letter  with  black  ink,  as  usual,  (but  it 
ought  to  be  on  thin  paper)  and  then  on  the  contrary  side,  go  over 
the  said  matter  that  you  would  have  secret,  with  a  clean  pen  dip- 
ped in  milk;  and  that  writing  shall  not  be  read  without  holding  it  to 


42 


er  , 

to  contain  any  =vord  of  s£       eqU6reii     olcs  or  sq«ares  big  enough 
write   your  .'Ld  ?„    rt^™*"  <J"'b1?'  and  j°  *osl  squares 
chequered  paper,  and    fifl  „„  ,h°  „„         .Ulen  '.ake  °ff  the 
bind,  which  will  render  it  perfect  I!,01"0"58    "'"'  wmds  ° 


out  being 
which  mfkes  i 


-  P-Per  sense  in 

that    what    you  intend  to    ec  lei  ^  may  be'wS  Tt*  ^ 
with  water  wherein    ffalJs    have  S  i       ,between 

not  long  enough  to  *£*»  jg  water  f  a^d  wh  ' 
of  the  writing  between  the  sa?d  hnes  }  can  b^T 
it  is  to  be  read  you  must  with  afi  K  '  °.J 

copperas  water,  ffo  between  thT  said  fines  ^f*1"*'  dlPPld 
legible.  X\OTE.  Tlis  way  wiU  rive  no  ™  T  f°  y°U-  make 
cause  the  letter  seemeth  to  cfrrv  T  ^  °f  SU8P1€lon  be 

lines  that  are  set  at  s£h 


Things  necessary  to  be  known. 
A  ream  of  paper,  20  quires. 
A  quire  of  paper,  24  or  25  sheets. 
A  bale  of  paper,  10  reams. 
A  Roll  of  parchment,  5  dozen  or  60  skins 
A  dicker  of  bides,  10  skins. 
A  last  of  hides,  20  dickers. 
A  load  of  timber,  unhewed,  40  feet. 
A  chaldron  of  coals,  36  bushels. 
A  hogshead  of  wine,  63  gallons. 
Ditto  of  beer,  54  gallons. 
A  barrel  of  beer,  36  gallons. 
Ditto  of  ale,  32  gallons. 
A  gross,  144,  or  12  dozen. 
A  weigh  of  cheese,  256  pounds. 
Days  in  a  year,  365,  weeks,  52,  and  hours,  870 
Pence  m  a  pound,  240. 

An  acre  of  land,  163  square  poles,  or  perches. 
A  last  of  corn,  or  rape-seed,  10  quarters 
A  tun  of  wine,  252  gallons. 
A  pack  of  wool,  364  pounds. 
A  stone,  horseman's  weight,  14  pounds. 
A  truss  of  hay,  56  pounds. 
A  load  of  ditto,  39  trusses. 


END. 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

RENEWALS  ONLY — TEL.  NO.  642-3405 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


JAN  2  8  1969  8 


LD  21A-38m-5,'68 
(J401slO)476B 


General  Library 

University  of  California 

Berkeley 


